New tow car

[mgandwartz]

Well, i've just made agreement to buy a new tow car with a bit more ability than the MG. Its a 1947 Hudson super six.

[humpyboy]

Hey where are the photos? ;D you know how it works here .

[mgandwartz]

Hi, need to get some better pics. I'll get them and load soon. Need to get a wire wall removed first. The next problem is picking it up. Its about 10 hours away by ordinary car, but my truck is a tad slow so more like 14 hours, so thinking about getting it picked up, but will still have to go over to pick up all the spares. Can't wait. Hasn't moved since 1973. Thinking about getting running and using as a barn find first. Then a full resto later, after we finish the house.

[mgandwartz]

Well here are the as found pics. I'll get more when I pick her up sat week.

[greedy53]

now i can see why mum and us kids were happy in the back seat who needs a caravan

[curtis]

Sweet ride. I like the idea of getting it going as a barn find and a resto later. Restos are expensive and time consuming, if you can tidy it up and use it now, then that is great. Just make really sure the engine is really flushed out, old oil and bearing that have not run for some decades can be a bad mix.

Good luck getting it home.
Dave

[humpyboy]

Ummm droooollll drooollll dribble dribble
Yeah okay I spose, might do as a tow car ;D
Hands off olfarts shes mine.

[mgandwartz]

Hey guys thanks, i think she'll come up a treat. Thanks for the advice on the old oil. Definately doing her up as a barn find first. I have ordered new fuel pump kit, new fuel lines and generator and starter motor brushes. Have just found new brake lines, shoes and cylinder kits so the shopping list is slowly getting filled. Wanting to get her back on the road by October.
Whats the best way to seal the surface rust? I've usually given my cars a complete rebuild so this is new to me.

[Deleted]

what a ripper !! ......luv the patina .....and the fact that you're going to leave it like that

....seems to be the way to go these days ....and a whole lot easier than resto

As they say, you can't recreate patina ......

Mark

[mgandwartz]

Thanks Mark, she looks great. a classy old beast to my eye's.

Anyway the weekend saga.

Well, drove over to Melbourne to collect the parts and get the Hudson out of the back yard to the front so that it could be picked up on Monday.

Trip over went well, but got there to late (after dark) to load anything. So first thing Sunday back to load a few parts.
Walks into the back yard after reversing the truck up the side of the house to find the back lawn covered in parts. Oh heck some of them bits look heavy I think to myself. Now this must have shown on my face as the guy says, “those motors aren’t that heavy, they only bent the axle on the trolley, but the wheels managed ok”.

So loaded four doors, some mudguards, front grills and valences, dash parts, bonnets big enough to make a sailing boat tender, full front end gas axed off another car, (but it had wheels so was able to roll it along and onto the lift), full set of bumpers, couple of radiators, diff, gearbox, couple of motors and assorted other bits and pieces in boxes.
Then you look at the car again and where we have to move it. Its big and long and wide with a bugger of a turning circle and no brakes. HMMMMMM
So we push it forward in bits constantly moving bloody big bit of wood to run the wheels up to (old style brake system). Now it becomes obvious its not gonna fit around the corner and its too heavy to push backward and forward to do a multi point turn. Right lets remove the rock garden edge, kewl, bother still won’t fit.
I know lets jack it up by the back bumper and push it over, good thing its well built, so anyway a few jack up and push exercises and its heading round toward the next bend, house corner, so no removing that I guess, remove bits of bush and more garden edges, nope no go. Lets jack it up and push it over again, oh yes lovely idea. So its close to the corner of the house by now and we don’t want it to fall into the house, so I lean against it to stop it going the wrong way, so two guys jack and I lean, then its moves before I’m ready, thankfully the right way, and me ass up. Well we are getting there with no damage to car or house, meanwhile I’v collected a few bruises, torn jeans and quite a covering of camouflage mud. Any way finally we get it around and down the drive ready for collection.

Time to head back to SA with the truck load of parts.
Off we go down Waverley road, then Forster Rd, then on to the freeway, great – happy light traffic good progress.
Down the freeway a bit and there’s a bloody big traffic jam and we can’t get off till Punt road. They’ve closed the damned Domain tunnel, no warning on the TV or radio Saturday or Sunday AM, Oh bother, or something like that.
Two hours later and we’re on Punt road, and more hold ups, a double deck semi loaded with cattle has been trying to mate with the trees from the park which overhang the road more hold ups. Finally around that and all I know is that there is a road in the city which leads to the freeway and the bridge, so dead reckoning see’s us in a removal van in the city and a whole lot of the roads going the right way are closed. ( another of those nasty words floats around).
Anyway finally get onto a road which leads to St Kilda now I know I can get from there to the ramp, so that OK. By now we’ve lost more time than I care to think.

Eventually get hone about midnight unload the truck and bed. Up at 5.30 gotta clean the truck and return it then off to a funeral in Kadina. So tired and driving again.

Get to funeral switch of the mobile and forget to turn it back on after the funeral. Remember later after a few beers. Turn on the phone, car hasn’t been picked up.

So get onto the guy who advises he is late as he’s gotta drop of other stuff before he picks up the car. Get that sorted. So as I write this we are still waiting for the car to be delivered safe and sound.

And just now I’ve just been told we have bought a 140 year old antique pump organ from a Lutheran Church, What? Neither of us play musical instruments. But won’t it look nice in the old billiard room dear. Oh s****t. OK where do we have to get it from. Oh, not far. Oh alright, where? Half way to Victor Harbour. OHHH I don’t feel well.

Anyway will let you know when its safely home. And get pics off the other halfs phone, forgot to take the camera you see.

[sheppo]

O F did you say FINS....... come on where,s the piccy's. We love Fins.. ;D

Sheppo

[humpyboy]

Yeah photos Old farts ,come on now or I will roll up my sleeve's as opposed to selves and come over there.

[mgandwartz]

Yeh O F piccies please. says he who can't even figure how to get pics off other half's phone.

Anyway, the other news is, the Hudson is home safe and sound, and tucked away in one of the sheds.
She caused quite a stir on the trip over, with pedestrians wanting to talk about it even at traffic lights and drawing a crowd at every fuel stop.

Got to bed at about 1AM and up again at 5.30 for work, but just had to take the head of one of the spare motors to look at the bore and pistons. ;D. looks good so i'm going to rebuild that one, drop the pistons, hone, flush both water and oil system, new rings etc etc. then swap the motors over.

Have had some interesting news tho. Now as it turns out my car can take either the six or straight eight, no change to rad, engine mounts gearbox or anything. MMMMMM cough cough . don't tell the superior half, but if they can have an organ i can have a straight eight. Better start quietly looking.

Anyway, more pics soon. BTW the caravan just doesn't look right behind it so starting the propaganda campaign for a bondwood or early FG, wish me luck.
Don

[humpyboy]

Nice side pipes Dave or is it a multi barreled Bazooka;D ;D ;D ;D

[mgandwartz]

Hey O F. looks like you'v got a bit of work to get to the car. Is it a six or eight, looks straight. Nice find.

[humpyboy]

Just had another good look this time, you said it had FINS! so I'm guessing it's a ROYAL?

[griffin]

Good one, envious

Need a tow bar?? Try
here

George

[mgandwartz]

Can't wait to see more pics Dave. I know its early days for you but have you started thinking colour schemes? Whats the interior like? Love the old Royals, friends of ours had one they used around the farm when I was a teenager, it was a black push button auto with a red and white interior from memory.

On an aside, am now serious about looking for a 40's hudson straight eight motor for my beastie. If its going to tow a caravan I may as well give it some more torque. ;D

Have started on the brakes and diff. Doing up the highway diff. ( I had the option of three different diffs with different ratios) Will then move onto gearbox and steering, to get it rolling and stopping easier. So that will give me some time to look before I start on doing up a motor. At the worst i'll do up one of the sixes till i get an eight.

Hey Dave i just thought, we are half way (or a bit or a lot closer) to you so you could always leave the royal here, i'm right on the freeway you know.

[mgandwartz]

A short update. I've cleaned checked and fitted the highway ratio diff. Taken the heads off all of the motors and chosen the one to restore.
Put new brushes in the starter motor and given it a tart up.
Ordered all of the brake parts I need and have started on a rebuild of the fuel pump.
I want to send the spare steering wheel for pearling, has anyone recommendations on anyone whodoes a good job.

[humpyboy]

Hi mgandwartz, I have used "Pearlcraft" twice now and can not fault their work, I find them very helpfull also, only problem is they are in Bega but you can send them your wheel via REG post and they will return it the same way, they do have a web site if you'ld like to check them out first

[mgandwartz]

Thanks Humpy, have shot them off an email.
Being slack I havn't loaded the pics I promised. So here are some of the when the old girl arrived home.


plenty of leg room and easy access


Don

[mgandwartz]

Hey all still looking for a flat head straight eight. Any trails appreciated.
Have also had confirmation that the car was built for the then Lord Mayor of Melbourne, hence the different to usual interior.

[noblesgarage]

;)Don I love the patina of the old girl
looks to be in very good nick , Friends of mine have a collection of Hudsons From 35 up
Not sure if they have a straight 8 or not. There hot rodders so can check for you You may have to look for a bondy to go behind the old girl. A name comes to mind that would suit her to a " T "

A " Don". Cause Don is Good! Brian

[mgandwartz]

Hey Brian, ;DLO, was secretly looking for a Don. Now have a 54 homemade bondwood to go behind her.
Would really love it if you could ask you friends if they have or know of an eight. As for the old girl, I only have the spare wheel well to fix and a patch where the boot floor joins the back panel to go body wise. No chance of being on the road this year now tho apparently its xmas at our place again this year, and i still have to build the new carport for the bondwood van (council holdup) and a new front verandah before then as well as build the floor in the study and new entrance to the cellar. Apparently the ladies don't want to walk over planks to get to the loo hehe. Have started on the bondwood van, putting in a new bed to start with.
Don